{"id":69067,"date":"2026-03-11T14:39:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T14:39:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=69067"},"modified":"2026-03-11T14:39:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T14:39:06","slug":"councillors-pledge-safeguards-matford-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/councillors-pledge-safeguards-matford-site\/","title":{"rendered":"Councillors pledge safeguards for Matford site"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Devon County Council\u2019s Cabinet has agreed to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect the future use of the Matford Offices site at County Hall, Exeter.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillors supported a motion on Wednesday, 11 March, recognising that the site has already been declared surplus, while committing to further work to explore development options that align with the Council\u2019s strategic priorities and aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the decision, a report will return to Cabinet setting out potential development options, alongside proposals for future guarantees on how the site could be used. These could include legal covenants and contractual obligations to ensure any development meets the authority\u2019s strategic priorities and have a high environmental specification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Matford site, formerly used as council offices, includes public open space. Previous proposals highlighted the opportunity to use the site to support the Council\u2019s priorities, including addressing Devon\u2019s shortage of affordable, good\u2011quality housing, while safeguarding trees, a green corridor between the site and Matford Lane, and key walking routes.<\/p>\n\n\n

\r\n\t
\r\n

Deputy Leader Councillor Paul Arnott thanked residents and stakeholders for their input and stressed the importance of safeguards in the process and said: <\/p><\/div>\r\n \t\t

\u201cThank you to all who have contributed to this debate and to members of the public for their representations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of us came into local politics to prevent poor outcomes in planning in local government.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs well as the process agreed to here, we have a backstop in place. Exeter City Council, as the planning authority, will have the ability to place any conditions that they feel are necessary on any future development, or of course to say no.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Councillor\r\n
\r\n Councillor Paul Arnott, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Local Government Reorganisation and Water Quality<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\n\n\n

Any future proposals for the site will be subject to further Cabinet consideration and the planning process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":859,"featured_media":69068,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-democracy"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":69068,"title":"Copy of hero image for news website (21)","alt":"Matford 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